Stanley h



S. H. SHACKELFOHD.

SAFETY ZONE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, I917.

Patented June 15, 1920.

omreo STATES STANLEY I-I. SIIAGKELFORD, OF "VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SAFETY-ZONE INDICATOR.

Application filed June 1, 1917.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STANLEY H. SHAOKEL- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at W'ashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Safety- 7 one Indicators; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in signaling apparatus, and pertains more particularly to devices such as are employed for indicating safety zones at points such as street railway crossings, motor vehicle parking spaces, public hack and cab stands, and the like.

Such devices in general use are only employed during the day of heavy traffic, and as in present use, these devices are removed, or dispensed with during the period of light traffic.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved device of this character which is constructed in such a manner that when the same is not in use, it may be lowered into the pavement where it will not be in the way during the period of light traffic, or when it is desired to clear the streets in case of large public gatherings such as parades or the like.

A further object of this invention is to construct a device of this character in such a manner that it may be used either with or without the light as desired.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an improved structure in which when the signaling standard is raised and rotated in one direction it will be held raised and with its signaling lamp in circuit with feed mains, while when it is rotated in the opposite direction after being raised, it will be held raised with the lamp out of circuit.

With the afore mentioned objects in view, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which;

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through the Well in which the device is mounted, the housing for the extensible post of the device being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1920.

Serial No. 172,188.

through the post housing, with the post nested therein shown partly in elevation and partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the circuit breaker that is located within the casing 17 of Figs. 1 and 2, there being shown a portion of said casing and portions of contiguous parts for clearness of understanding.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the upper lining member of the housing.

Fig. 5 is a disassembled detail view of the lower portion of the post, and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view through the lower part of the device on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View of the device, taken on the line 77 Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, the device comprises a main casing which is designated by the reference character 10, and said casing is provided in its upper wall with a removable plate 11 which is suitably secured to the casing 10 by means of screws or the like 12. This removable plate 11 is provided with a substantially centrally arranged opening 13, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

This main casing or well is adapted to be buried in the pavement with its top wall substantially flush with the surface of said pavement.

Rigidly mounted centrally of the casing 10 there is a substantially cylindrical housing and guide member 14 which is preferably formed of metal, and said cylindrical member 14L is provided with a lining 15 of porcelain or other suitable non-conducting material extending upwardly for something more than half the height of the member 14 and having throughout its length a longitudinal slot 39.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this cylindrical member 1 1 has secured to its upper end on opposite sides thereof two housings 17 and 18, said housings being secured in place by means of screws or the like 16. Leading into the housings 17 and 18, are the wires 19 and 20 respectively of the street lighting circuit.

The lining 15 of the cylindrical member 14% terminates short of the upper end thereof, and supported upon the upper end 21 of the said lining 15 there is a separate lining section 22 that continues to near the top of the member 14 and the detail construction of which lining sectionis shown in Fig. 4. This removable lining 22 is formed of porcelain or other suitable non-conducting material, and is provided on one of its sides with a vertical slot 23 which registers with and forms a continuation of the slot 39 of the lower lining section 15. The slot 23 terminates in a transversely extending slot 24, the vertical slot 23 intersecting the slot 24 at a point intermediate of its ends. The upper end of the cylindrical member 14 is cut outat diametricallyopposite points as at 25 to receive two projecting members 27 which=are removably secured to the removable lining section 22 by means of bolts 28, the innerends 29 of which terminate flush with the inner surface of the removable lining, while the outer end of said bolts are screw threaded for the reception of a binding nut 30. .Vithin thehousing 18 isa fuse 31, to one terminal of which leads the wire 20, while from the other terminal there leads a wire 31 which is con nected between the binding nut 30 and corresponding member 27. The equipment of the housing 17 will belater described.

Vertically movable within the lining sections 15 and 22 of thehousing 14, there is a tubular standard or post 36, provided on its lower end with an enlarged tubular cylindrical extension 3'? which slidably its the lower lining section 15 when the post 36 is entirely within the housing 14 and which moves into and slidably fits the upper lining section 22 when the post is raised, as hereinafter referred to. The enlarged portion 37 is provided with a pin 38 which slidably engages the slot 39 in the porcelain lining 15 .as shown in Fig. 6, and passes therefrom into the slot 23 when the post is drawn upwardly. Engagement of this pin with the upper wall of the transverse slot 24 serves to limit the upward movement of'the post while the final rotation of the post in either direction, carries the pin to the corresponding end of the transverse slot 24 so that the post is held from settling back into "the housing. The slots 23 and 24 jointly constitute a T-shaped or double bayonet. slot. The upper end of the tubular post 36 is provided with a plurality of light openings 40 and said light openings may be provided with lenses colored as desired, it being understood that there are four of these light openings, and that the colors of the lenses will be such that when in use at night, the danger signal will be in a position readable longitudinally of the street, and the caution signal will be readable transversely of the street. Mounted within the tubular post 36 in such a position that it is diametrically opposite the light openings 40 is an electric lamp 41, and leading from said electric lamp 41 are its coiulurtor wires 44 the free ends of which are adapted to be connected to contacts that are slidably mounted in openings 48 at diamctricali opposite points of the insulating extension 37 of the post 36, hereiubefore referred to. as shown in Fig. 5. The contacts 45 are rcsiliently supported by means of springs 46, attached to the web 46' that rises from a base 47, which is received within the enlarged portion 37, the contact members 43 projecting through openings 46 and contacting with theinsulatinglining section 15 whenthe post is lowered or retracted. \Vhenthe post is raised, these contacts 45 move from the section 15 to the section 22 and if the post he then rotated in one direction with the pin 38 in the slot 21-, these contacts will respectively engage the inner ends of -the bolts 28 and will thus establish electrical connection between such bolt and the lamp 41. If the bolt 28 that enters the housing 17 be then cut into circuit with the wire 19 that enters such. housing. the lamp willbe energized and for that purpose the following arran-gemcnt is provided: The circuit wire .19 leads to one terminal of ;a fuse 66 from the other terminal of which leads a wire to a contact finger 64 which is spaced from a second contact finger 85 that is clamped between the corresponding binding nuts 30 of the circuit bolt 28 that enters the housing 17. A plunger 60 mounted at its lower end in a guide 61, carries a contact plate 62, which when the plunger is moved downnuirdly. engages both contact fingers 64 and 35 and establishes a circuit between them. Then it will be seen that the circuit is from wire 20 to fuse 31 to corresponding bolt to corresponding contact 45 carried by the post and thence by. one wire 44 to the lamp 41 and by the other wire 44 to the other contact 45 and thence to the second circuit bolt 28, to the contact finger 35, the plate 62, contact finger 64, wire 65, fuse 66 and circuit wire' 19.

The downward movement of the plunger- 60 is effected when the post is rotated in a direction to engage the contacts 45 with the circuit bolt 28 through the medium of the following mechanism. losts and 52 are arranged in the housing 17 and in them is slidably disposed a rod 51 one end of which projects through the wall of and into the lining section 22 of the housing 14. Upon the upper end portion of the enlarged member 37 that depends from the post 36 is a wedge shaped cam 50 which when the post is drawn upwardly to its limit, is at the height of the rod 51 and when the post is rotated to engage the contacts 45 with the bolts 28, this wedge shaped cam engages the extremity of the rod 51 and presses it outwardly of the housing 14: and inwardly of the housing 17 against the tension of a helical spring 55 upon the rod 51. One end of this spring bears against the guide 52 while the other end rests against the car 53 that depends from the rod and to which is connected a link 54 pivoted to one arm 56 of an angular lever that is provided with a pivot 59 at its angle and the other arm 57 of which has a coupling 58 pivoted to its side and conducted in turn with the upper end of the rod 60 by means of fingers 60, When the rod 51 is pressed backwardly as just eX- plained, the link 54 rocks the angular lever so that the free end of the arm 57 moves downwardly and carries with it the rod 60 by which the contact plate is carried.

As is well known, when sliding contacts are employed in a circuit of heavy amperage, the contacting members will fuse as soon as the sliding contacts have been moved correlatively to bring about the proper contacting areas. If the circuit is otherwise broken, however, before this critical condition is reached between the sliding contacts, the fusing will, of course, not occur. The contacts 4-5, it will be understood, slidably engage the bolts 28 and thus there would be liability of the contacts 45 fusing to the bolts 28 both as they engage and as they disengage, unless provision against this were made. With the construction described, when the post is raised, the contacts 45 do not engage the bolts 28. When the post is then rotated, the contacts 45 engage the bolts 28 and when they have effected those contacting areas that insure against fusing, the cam 50, by engaging the rod 51, effects engagement of the plate 62 with the contact members 35 and 64 and the lamp circuit is thus completed. Conversely, when the post is reversely rotated, the cam 50 releases the rod 51 and through the medium of the spring 55, the plate 62 is raised from its engagement with the contacts 35 and 64:, before the contacting areas between the contacts A5 and the bolts 28 have been reduced to the fusing point.

If when the post is drawn upwardly it is rotated in the opposite direction, the contacts 45 will not be carried into engagement with the circuit bolts and the post will be held elevated without the lamp being energized. Thus it will be seen that the appa' ratus may be used continuously or at intervals of the daytime without the lamp being in use and may be correspondingly used at night-time with the lamp active.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is,

1. A safety zone indicator comprising a casing, a post slidably mounted in the easing for alternate projection therefrom and retraction thereinto, means for holding the post at times projected, the post being rota table in opposite directions when projected for engagement with the holding means interchangeably, a lamp carried by the post, and movable therewith into and out of the casing an electric energizing circuit for the lamp and contacts carried respectively by the post and casing and disposed for mutual engagement upon rotation of the post in one direction only when projected, to close the circuit through the lamp.

2. A safety zone indicator, comprising a casing, a post slidably mounted in the casing for alternate projection therefrom and retraction thereinto, means operable upon rotation of the post for supporting its lower end at the upper portion of the well when the post is projected, a lamp carried by the post and movable therewith into and out of the casing, contacts carried by the lower portion of the post, stationary contacts at the upper portion of the casing for engagement by the contacts of the post when the post is rotated after projection, a switch in circuit with the stationary contacts and means operable by and upon rotation of the post after projection thereof from the casing for closing the switch subsequent to engagement of said contacts, and for opening the switch prior to the disengagement of said contacts.

3. A safety zone indicator comprising a well casing, an insulating lining for said casing, a post slidable in said lining for projection therefrom at times, means for supporting the lower end of the post at the up per portion of the casing, a lamp carried by the post, outwardly urged contacts carried by the lower portion of the post, stationary contacts projecting through said lining and engageable with said post contacts and a circuit including the post contacts and the lamp.

4. A safety zone indicator comprising a casing, an insulated lining for the-casing, a post loosely engaged in the lining for proj ection therefrom at times, a cylindrical insulating base at the lower end of the post in sliding engagement with said lining, outwardly urged contacts carried by said insulating base, a lamp carried by the post, stationary contacts at the upper portion of the casing engageable with said post carried contacts and means for supporting the base of the post at the upper portion of the well.

5. A safety zone indicator comprising a casing, a post slidably mounted in the casing for alternate projection therefrom and retraction thereinto, means for supporting the base of the post at the upper portion of the well operable upon partial rotation of the post, a lamp carried by the post and movable therewith "into and out of the casing, outwardly urged contacts at the lower portion of the post, stationary contacts at the upper portion of the casing, a switch in circuit with the stationary contacts and lan1p,-a rod slidably-mounted transversely at the upper portion of the casing and connected Withth'e-sWitch"for operating it, and a cam member carried by the post for engagement With the rod upon rotation of the post When li'fted to close the switchsubsequent to the engagement of said contacts, 10 and to open the switch prior to the disengagement of said contacts.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

STANLEY H. SHAUKELFORD. Witnesses GEO. H. CHANDLER,

M. I. MORGAN.- 

